Top 10 Tips to Bag a Bargain on Black Friday

The day after Thanksgiving is the best bargain shopping day of the year. Don't get overwhelmed with all the sale ads. Use them to make smart buying decisions with some of the tools and tips we offer for Black Friday.

2011 Worst Toys List

As you make your holiday shopping list, here are this year's nominees for unsafe toys, that experts don't recommend buying. Remember also that age recommendations such as ones that say age three and up, have less to do with skill and ability levels necessary to enjoy the toy, and more to do with the fact that it might contain small parts that could become a choking hazard for very young children.

How to Buy a Computer Tablet

One of the hottest consumer products this season is the computer tablet, and here are some buying tips to help you narrow the field. Just don't expect any great deals on Black Friday on the most popular models [except the Asus Transformer at Best Buy for $249 -- but they only have 10]. See also our own review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 .

Thanks for Good Customer Service

'Tis the season to publicly thank customer-oriented companies for providing good service. MrConsumer had extraordinary service from Aldi and Vistaprint in the past couple of weeks. Read how they responded to issues, or add your own compliment about a different company.

Pay only 2.5 cents a minute for long distance on ECG's state-to-state plan. The rate is good all day, with no minimum usage and no monthly fee like $4.95 or $5.95 -- it is just 99 cents as of Jan. 1, 2010, with a 59˘ reg. recovery fee, along with the usual taxes.
You are billed online, and must pay automatically by debit/credit. They use real phone lines, and there are no special codes to dial. Six-second billing saves money, and a free 800 number lets the kids call home easily. U.S. based customer service. Instate and HI/AK rates vary. More information. ++

Consumer World's Mini Consumer Resource Guide

Bargain of the Week

Don't forget that this Saturday, November 26, is Small Business Saturday where American Express will give cardholders who pre-register $25 back when they spend at least $25 at a local small business. You must register your card in advance.++

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Consumer World created by Edgar Dworsky, (a.k.a. "MrConsumer"), a consumer advocate/educator and an attorney.